You Are My Sweetest Downfall
by ebm56
Summary: This is a classic story of boy meets girl, girl punches boy in the face third year, boy pretends to loathe girl but secretly feels the exact opposite evil twin of that emotion. So basically Hermione and Draco Head boy/ girl fluff, Rated M just in case.
1. Maslows hierarchy leads to infatuation

You are my sweetest downfall

**Authors Note**: Okay so this story might be a little cliché or lame or whatever but I really felt the need to write it so I did. I haven't ever written a fanfic before so just warning you before you get started. I acknowledge the fact that it may have some errors in it but I'm going to do my best. I just really love Dramione stories so I thought it might be fun to write actually write one. I'm sorry if you hate it. Oh and of course I don't own any of it and the title I got from the song Samson by Regina Spektor. I was listening to it when I became inspired to write this story. This story is set in Hermione and Draco's seventh year and they are head boy and girl.

For the millionth and a half time that day Draco shook his head. Sitting in the head common room with _**her **_in there he just couldn't help it. He just couldn't help but think of her. He decided it was the freckles; yes the freckles that did it for him. They were strategically placed to drive him wild. He started noticing them when he would pretend to be staring at her with contempt. She of course effectively, though he would never admit it to her, would ignore his tactics to get a rise out of her. It was then though that he was given the opportunity to really look at her. There was the little one on the nape of her neck. Once, when she had waved papers in front of his face he had notice another little one on the inside of her thumb between the thumb and index finger. The one that drove him especially crazy was the one on her earlobe. Oh, and he couldn't forget the one on the side of her hip. He caught a glimpse of that one when she was rushing out of the main bathroom into her room in just a towel………

The only way he could explain his feeling towards one Miss Hermione Granger was that she drove him to the brink of madness. He had eventually admitted to himself that he never really hated her. He was just appointed by some higher power to put people in their place; that was his bit. Granger apparently felt she had this power too so that meant she was trying to steal his bit and he simply couldn't have that. So he _**had**_to be completely awful to her. She really forced it upon herself. Poor, silly girl…..Now that Voldmort had been defeated and the idea of hating Mudbloods wasn't being shoved down his throat constantly, thanks to his father being in Azkaban, he could finally decide how he really felt about things. He was an adult now and this was his 7th and final year. He was head boy now and he wanted to decide what his moral standards where. He was bent on finding that out; in fact nothing could be more important to him. He needed to find out who he was going to be. He was a Malfoy, he was smart, handsome, charming, and sexy and he could be whatever the HELL he wanted right? He should feel happy about this but he really just felt an overwhelming sense of pressure. It used to be that whatever decision he made was right no question about it but now he wanted them to be right and not just because he told people they were. He had definitely decided that he didn't care about people's blood status as much as it pained him to give up that tradition. Part of him wanted to keep the prejudice just out stubbornness but now instead of hating people for their blood, he would hate them for being the stupid ignorant bothersome people they were. As far as he was concerned he was on his way towards sainthood. With that thought, he couldn't help but let a small smirk creep out.

All of a sudden the reprieve his mind had just had was gone with a simple "ugh Malfoy wipe that smug smile off your face please. Why don't you try studying or doing something somewhat productive for once instead of dray dreaming about yourself? "And with the sound of her voice that dripped with sarcasm he was back to thinking about her. Really, it was as though she had some sort of mind control. She noticed that he didn't have a smarmy response but it didn't seem to faze her too much. The only indication that she even picked up on his lack of a smart ass rebuttal , was the slight pause before she swung her legs over the arm of the chair she was sitting in. She spent hours there in that big maroon chair just reading in front of the fire in the head's common room. That's one of the things that he admired about her was her ability to become completely engrossed in what she was doing. One thing he found not fair was that her only indication to even notice him was that slight pause. He on the other hand couldn't get her off his mind. If it was any other girl she would be on the couch that he was on smothering him while trying to provoke a reaction. The only reactions that Hermione Granger wanted to provoke from Draco Malfoy, it seemed, were ones of illicit anger. At least he could take satisfaction in the fact that she wasn't able to provoke everything she wanted from him. Though their encounters often produced feelings of anger and frustration in him, there were also other reactions which he was sure if she found out about; she would not be pleased in the least bit. He would have to take solace in that for now.

It wasn't as if it just one day it hit him that he could possibly even fathom taking an interest in the Gryffindor princess. If it had happen that quickly he surely would have heaved himself off the astronomy tower. No, if it had happened that way it would have just been too much. He after all was very preoccupied with the self-actualization phase of his life, the added on shock from that surely would have driven him over the edge. It started over the summer when he received his letter stating that all the students whose last year at Hogwarts was disrupted because of the war would be allowed back to complete an undisrupted last year. He was informed that was made head boy and there was some allusion to interhouse unity made which then should have tipped him off right then. Once arriving at Hogwarts he was relieved to not have to deal with Crabb and Goyle, there seemed to be lots of Slytherins missing but that was okay because most of them weren't the type of people he wanted to surround himself with now. He didn't want to be one of those pitiful guys who people didn't think had matured past teen years because they still hung out with the same jerks who were still fixated at their preteen years. He wanted people to see he had matured…in at least some way. Anyway he made his way to the head compartment on the Hogwarts Express and low in behold guess who was waiting in there already, fifteen minutes early and already dressed in her robes? Of course it was none other than the bookworm who was the mascot for Gryffindor pride, the lady of the golden trio, Hermione Jean Granger. He found out her middle name through school records…though he was trying to figure my morals he never said he was above snooping. He can admit seeing her then he did take notice to her. She herself had matured too. Everybody pretends to admit that they only noticed Hermione at the Yule ball third year. Those people were delusional. She never was ugly. It was just obvious before that she didn't care to take care of herself. Books were too time consuming he guessed. You could always tell that there was something underneath the uncontrollable hair. This year what was underneath decide to come out. Her hair was still curly and wild but in a great way. It was shiny and light golden brown and in the sunlight it almost had a red tint to it. It was swept away from her face but there were some curly tendrils that escaped and surrounded her delicate face. Her face was striking. She had dark eyebrows which framed her big dark chocolate eyes beautifully. The length of her eyelashes was astonishing and her nose was too perfect for words. It was small not too puggy or pointy. Her complexion was had a hint of golden tan and her cheeks were rosy. When she smiled something she was reading in her book, he saw how beautiful her bone structure really was. She had the cutest cheeks and a hint of dimples. Her perfect pink demure heart shape lips had to be his favorite thing. So maybe he took in too much detail or used too many adjectives for somebody who was supposed to hate her, but he was a guy and every guy can appreciate beauty, no matter who it comes from. It took her a while to finally notice him but once she did whatever had made her smile vanished from her face and there was a look of dread. She had obviously felt somebody noticing her and her reflexes from the war must have kicked in because whilst she pretended t o still be preoccupied with her book she covertly placed her hand on her wand and then slowly looked up. Then a quick look of dread followed by "interhouse unity, bloody knew that meant something!"

After that and finding out they were to share a common room together he couldn't help but notice her. He watched her in classes, and saw how intelligent she was. At meal times he saw how she had such loyal friends and just on a daily basis he saw how compassionate and fair she was. The head girl would chuckle and shake her head every time she aided a lost looking first year. She also never hesitated to give counsel to any distraught looking being. It was usually when she was around him that he saw her passionate and feisty side. Never did she back down if she felt her convictions were spot on and never did she take the easy way out. At first he kind of looked to her as, well for lack of a better phrase, a role model. She was definitely her own person and that's something Draco desperately wanted. Then he came to realize that he also desperately wanted her.


	2. Her thoughts

You Are My Sweetest Downfall

**A/N:**This chapter is really short and just kind of a way for you to see what Hermione's mindset is. I won't be able to update for a while because I'll be out of town (like anybody cares). I promise the next chapter will have some sort of action in it and won't just be what people are thinking. What I can't promise you is if it will be any good. I'm juggling a couple ideas but I'm not quite positive where or even what I want to do with this story. Oh by the way the title for the last chapter was because Maslow's hierarchy is this psychologist theory about human stages of life and their needs. When people have truly matured and reached their full potential Maslow claims they have reached the self actualization level of their lives. I threw that stuff in cause I just happened to be procrastinating doing my psych assignment when I decided to write this story. Is it inappropriate for me to wish people a Happy Thanksgiving? If it is, I'm sorry. Also does it bother anybody else that people seem to be blatantly skipping over Thanksgiving and going straight to Christmas? Sorry for rambling!

**Disclaimer**: I am a poor college student. I own nothing with exception of my student loans. I definitely do not own Harry Potter. If I did then there would be no need for the loans.

**HERMION POV**

Hermione finally tore herself away from her book and looked around to find Draco lying on the couch, apparently he had dozed off. She took this as the perfect opportunity to make a run to her bedroom and get ready to sleep. As she completed her nightly ritual of getting ready for bed she let her mind wonder. She began to think how blessed she was to be able to escape to Hogwarts for one last year. She was even more elated to be head girl. It was a dream she had since she had began her academic career at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Having accomplished this goal gave her great sense of comfort. It reminded her of herself before the war and it kept her grounded with the normalcy of the responsibility it provided. She had many predecessors for head girl. She did not on the other hand have many predecessors in role of helping defeat the darkest wizard of all time. She relished in the extra responsibilities she was given as head girl. She was not thoroughly pleased with the responsibilities thrust upon her as war hero Hermione Granger. She had never been one to bask in or solicit extra unnecessary attention. Now it was as though people thought her humbleness as opening to give it to her. She was constantly being fawned over and pampered. People were always trying to give her things and watching everything she did. If she had to "ignore" another headline about her in the Daily Prophet she thought she might become an agoraphobic and never leave her house. No, she did not enjoy the superfluous attention in the least. In fact it caused her a great amount of anxiety. This is why she appreciated being back at Hogwarts. She was back in a place she loved, helping the people who she knew and cared about. These people who had know her for years now had gone through many of the trials she had they understood her and generally let her be.

Life was not perfect though. As much control as she could harness over her life she finally had come to accept that life liked to take random swings at one's control tower. The wrecking ball life was utilizing at the moment was Draco Malfoy. As soon as his name crossed her mind she thought back to the incident in the common room. In years past he had pestered her by teasing her and just directing general rudeness and malice towards her. This year he had decided on a more subtle tactic yet Hermione would have probably preferred him just to curse her. Instead simply just stared at her. She could take his childish remarks and knock him down a notch with her wittier ones but she could not counteract his endless staring. All she could manage to do was pretend to ignore and be as apathetic towards him as possible. He had to know that this would drive her loony. Not only was he giving her unwanted attention but he tried to act as he was being a completely normal bloke towards her. He knew that this was the worst possible torture he could inflict on her because Hermione was a creature who lived in her head and all she would do was wonder what his motives were. Though she knew what they were; his motives were to simply bother her. The fact that she knew this yet couldn't let it go was what he knew would gnaw at her very soul. This was Hermione's theory she came up with and she felt it held a high amount of validity. Though Draco had attempted to help the Order during the end of the war, this did not mean she had to befriend him. They were polar opposites. She respected him an increasing amount more but still found him to be a rather large git.

She might have not found him such a bother if he was not knowingly committing her biggest pet peeve. By always staring at her and not actually doing anything she couldn't she constantly was wondering what he was thinking. She couldn't ever really know what he was thinking. He was denying her knowledge! This thought made her want to run back down to the common room and sock him straight in the face…again. Earlier in the common room while she was perusing her book in front of the fire she couldn't fully concentrate and was not able to finish it as quickly because she could feel his steal grey eyes boring a whole in the back of her head. She suddenly realized she had spent an awful lot of time contemplating Draco so she roughly jumped into big four post bed and _**humphed**_ as she closed the curtains. She had to give the boy some credit for being able to exasperate her without even being in the same room. That took talent. She was of course fair Hermione Granger and gave credit where credit was due.


	3. Saturday, cold bench,& handsome Italian

You Are My Sweetest Downfall

Chapter 3: A Saturday, A Cold Bench, and A Handsome Italian

**Disclaimer:** I wouldn't flatter myself by claiming I was an iota as good as J.K. Rowling. I in no way own Harry Potter.

So Hermione awoke the next day early enough to lay in her bed and think of her agenda for the following hours. She would get out of bed, pull back her hair into a bun, and take bath with her vanilla body wash which calmed her for the next event. After she was dressed she would inevitably have to go downstairs to the common room where there were two possible outcomes. Outcome A: she would go downstairs and Draco would be still asleep and she would be able to slip down to breakfast unscathed. Outcome B: He would be in the common room and she would inevitably have to get in an argument with him about something or another. She was so hoping that her calming bath last too long so that it would have a transverse affect. Where she would be forced into option B which, if it was a test, would be the crucial question which dictated her grade she gave the day. If option B was the option she had to pick then she would be giving herself and F for today, an F for Frustrated. She opted for a quick soak in the bath to increase her chances for option A. Then she practically sprinted from the heads lavish, unfortunately only, bathroom to her sanctuary.

What baffled the head girl was that a school like Hogwarts didn't have the forethought to have the rooms connecting to the bathroom. Though then Malfoy's room would be connected to hers, the debacles that could possibly ensue made her shiver. Even if Malfoy had been in the common room, Hermione moved so quickly that he wouldn't have had time to notice her presence.

…..or so she thought. Malfoy had taken to waking up early in order to increase his chances of encountering the seemingly elusive head girl. After several weeks of school and head duties he realized she tended to try and avoid him. Which, at first he, couldn't fathom why….okay he could, but he became determined to change that. Luckily the head girl was as easy to read as a toddler's picture book. She had a routine which the observant slytherin had quickly picked up on. He would eventually have her begging to spend time in his presence. Then a flashback montage pushed his ego aside. He leaned forward and put his head in his hands. He had been downright nasty to the girl over the years. Since the moment the poor girl had been doomed to meet him; he had even made her cry.

WHY had he been such a soulless monster? He just couldn't help but be enchanted by the intelligent witch. He didn't even really want to push himself on her, well sort of. He just wanted to spend time with her. He now needed a plan of action. Would he court her, would he trick her, would he try and befriend her? Malfoy honestly had no earthly clue. What happened between them would have to be a natural occurrence. Draco Chuckled at how ironically how unnatural the whole thought sounded to him.

Malfoy got off her favorite chair and went towards the bathroom. Remembering why he had awoken at such an ungodly hour. He had taken to getting up and sitting in her chair reading/contemplating so he could watch her daring sprint from the bath to her quarter and then he could get in the bathroom in enough time to catch the warm vanilla aroma from her bubble bath. Gosh, he had a serious problem.

It was a Saturday so Hermione didn't have to worry about studying, eating breakfast, and getting to class early. She dressed quickly and simply in jeans and a V-neck sweater. She pulled her hair back in a pony tail and headed down towards breakfast. Hermione loved Saturdays because it was a day she could have all to herself. If she felt like reading or studying all day in the sanctuary of the library, then she could. If she felt like talking a walk or taking a nap, she could. As much as she cherished her friends and the people around her, the solitude of a Saturday where she wasn't forced to be around people in classes and other activities gave her comfort. Not that she didn't like being around people or love going to classes but in those times she felt there was expectations and procedure she had to uphold. Saturdays there were none of those.

Hermione made her way down to breakfast sauntering down the hallways, soaking in the general cheeriness of Hogwarts. The beautiful stone walls with the elegant tapestries and paintings mixed with the huddled excited students going about their business was a wonderful thing to observe. After her usual relaxing cup of hot tea and a cinnamon scone at breakfast she left her boys and continued meandering around the Hogwart's halls. The site of the dreary gray sky with its wispy clouds contrasting with the beautiful tall green trees and lapping water of the black lake put her in the mood to read. So she directed her meandering to the library.

To Hermione's dismay she didn't make it to her sanctuary. Right outside the library on a cold stone bench was a slightly shivering shocked Italian boy. Blaise Zanbini had his head in his hand and looked to be lost and more dismayed then Hermione. She stopped before she was in his line of site and decided her next plan of action. A little shy self conscious part of her had the urge to walk past him and straight to the back of the library. He probably didn't want to be around and most definitely not consoled by the somebody he probably didn't like. He would think her weird and nosy.

She shoved those thoughts into the back of her mind. She was a good person and he was a person too, most likely. This was Hogwarts after all and there was a small chance he could be some other sort of supernatural creature. She would help him no matter how uncomfortable it made her to approach him. No matter how stupid she looked, she would not be one of those people who didn't help their fellow humans because of fear on their own part. She did not want to perpetuate that type of behavior in this world. Plus he looked really distraught and her compassionate side began to win her internal battle with her self- conscious side.

Taking a deep breath and tucking a stray hair behind her ear she closed the distance between her and the Italian. She gently sat down beside him and cleared her throat and said "Zanbini is it?" She expected his reaction to be startled or angry but he genuinely confused her with his simple nod. Her plan of action had only gone as far as getting up the courage to talk to him and she planned on gauging where to go next with his reaction. This nod gave her nothing. She decided to pretend she was confronting Harry or Ron then decided yelling at him to get "some sense" and hitting him then hugging him probably wasn't the best route.

Whilst she had started to zone out into her own thoughts Zanbini had unzoned and starting zoning his attention on the girl sitting in front of him. When she felt his eyes on her she quickly brought herself back to the present situation and she went with her instincts. She went with honesty. Explaining to him that she knew that this may seem odd and her company may be unwelcome but she couldn't in good conscious go into the library seeing him looking as he did.

The handsome Slytherin apparently had a knack for surprising the Gryffindor. He let out a small, very small laugh and then shook his head. Claiming that "it was really hard to slander the Gryffindor princess when she acts decent to a guy who she had no reason for helping. She in turn laughed and said she was sorry but didn't what else did he expect from a good-two-shoes? His reply was that he didn't expect her to care or even stoop herself to be in the presence of a slytherin scum bucket. This she found extremely hilarious and told him that he didn't have to worry because she wasn't stooping herself because the slytherin scum bucket happened to be named Draco Malfoy. As long as he didn't come around they would be fine.

The atmosphere was oddly comfortable and they let the moments pass by as they sat and chuckled on the bench. Hermione almost regretted putting the conversation back on track. Once she did though he told her he was really fine and thanked her for checking on him. Though he was very gentlemanly his answer angered Hermione to no end. She knew they weren't friends and that he was a slytherin but once he didn't immediately shun her, and they talked for a few seconds, she had thought that they had clicked. His lack of trust and the fact that he was demeaning her intelligence was like a slap in the face on a cold winter day. It stung. Hermione hated that she couldn't completely control her emotions they way she tried to portray but she decided that she wasn't going to let him go that easily.

She wasn't stupid and knew that it wasn't likely that a guy, a slytherin for that matter (the master of no emotions), would simply open up to her on a library bench. She knew that this sort of thing wasn't in character for any one person. She knew this wasn't a muggle movie. She still ran after him once he left.

His only response to her once she caught up with him was "So I take it you're not just going to let this go." She laughed and gave him a vehement "no." Her next statement managed to shock the usually cool Italian. She offered to let him come up to the head's common for a cup of tea. He did a double take and asked if her two body guards would be waiting up there when they walked into the common room or if they would be waiting outside the portrait after? She calmly responded that she didn't need bodyguards even if he planned to do something slytherin, which he better not, and that he was friends with Malfoy so they shouldn't really find him in there to be too alarming or scandalous. Suddenly she paused and then looked down at her shoes and said "of course she understood if he didn't want people, especially Malfoy, to see him with her being civil." She then added that she didn't expect them to become friends either.

Blaise quickly tried to redeem himself with the Gryffindor. He hadn't ever met such an oxymoron in his life. She seemed so strong yet delicate, self conscious yet self confident, and insightful yet naive. These were things he gathered just from talking with her for a few seconds and he could now very well gather why his best friend seemed so compelled by her recently. He really didn't like opening up to her and it seemed a little cliché but he decided to let her in. Maybe they would even strike up a friendship which would at the very least be interesting. He really wanted to reward her for having the guts and the compassion to come and talk to him in the first place. So asked her which way towards the commons.

**A/N:** As someone suggested I decided to try out a new format. I hope you like it and the story.


	4. The wheels began to turn

You Are My Sweetest Downfall

Chapter 4: The Wheels begin to Turn

**Disclaimer: **Don't in anyway shape for form own Harry Potter. Would never try and claim that I did.

Though Hermione didn't get to spend her day alone in the library, she decided that this second option might have been better than her first. The heads were privileged with a small kitchenette with a stove and endless supplies from the main kitchen. All they had to do was ask for it and it would appear with a _poof_, like the food appeared in the main dining room.

Hermione figured that if she wanted the slytherin to open up to her it was better to do it in a place where they wouldn't be subjected to prying eyes and the threat of rumors. Plus she was already in the mood for another cup of tea. As her favorite muggle author C.S. Lewis once stated "you cannot find a book long enough or a cup of tea large enough to suit me."

So they had made their way up to the Portrait of the heads. They were met by the portrait protector, Queen Maeve. Blaise had asked who the "lovely woman was" and Hermione explained to him that she once trained young witches and wizards prior to the establishment of Hogwarts in Medieval times. Hermione felt very honored to have such a prestigious figure guarding the entrance to her dorm. With a courteous nod the portrait asked for the password.

Once in the common room time passed quickly. Blaise explained to an inquisitive Hermione that he had just felt a sudden wave of emotion being back after the war. It seemed to pain him to tell her that but he didn't look embarrassed or like he regretted telling Hermione, he looked quite the opposite, he had a rather cool demeanor now. He told her he would not like to discuss why he felt and looked the way he did. "Seeing how he felt bad not paying her for her psychological services." He promised he come and tell her all about it when she became a psych healer at St. Mungo's.

"I feel more than experience to take that job; with the mental cases I call my best friends. I can handle anything." Was what she replied. They went back and forth making jokes and talking about professors for hours. Blaise was lying down on the couch in front of the fire place and Hermione opposite from him in her favorite maroon chair, sitting Indian style. As Hermione made her way to refill their teas when Blaise propped his head up and ask in a very gentlemanly manner "Miss Granger?" Hermione set down his tea on the dark round mahogany coffee table and cocked her eyebrow with a "yes, Mr. Zanbini?"….."Well that just felt odd can I call you Blaise?" He of course told her she may but then kept going.

"Miss Granger, may I inquire as to why you don't have a fellow?" Hermione looked as though two rosebuds had appeared on her cheeks. She looked down at her feet and began playing with a tassel on the pillow she had in her lap. She realized that by not answering she was making things awkward. Little did she know Blaise was loving every second of her reaction. She took a sip of tea, to kill some time and decide what she was going to say to that intrusive question. Once her cup was down though she had a defiant look in her eye and said "because I just don't." As she went on she straightened up a bit and continued with "and I don't think I would have one even if the opportunity presented itself."

Blaise laughed and nodded his head. "Independent and Intelligent, I like it." Hermione rolled her eyes. "If we going to be friends now I get the privilege to ask you personal sometimes even inappropriate question. It's in the befriending a slytherin handbook…I'm sure you read it prior to choosing to come to my aid at the library." He said with the signature slithering smirk playing on his lips. With that they both started to laugh.

Hermione began to think about what an oddity it was that his smirk did not send her into a fit of anger as another slytherin's did. That's when said slytherin walked through the portrait whole, after walking aimlessly (in all Hermione's usual spots) for most of the day, to find his best friend laughing around the fire with the girl that's been haunting his subconscious for weeks. They looked way too comfortable for his tastes. He knew he shouldn't be surprised by this because his best friend had always had a knack with people and putting them at ease. His friend had always been a social butterfly, though Draco was a known figure at Hogwarts. He was more of a forced to be reckoned with/swooned over, where as Blaise just happened to be good with people so they naturally gravitated towards him. Draco had always liked Blaise's personality and thought that even if the guy hadn't been wealthy and handsome he would still faire well with people. He had also always liked that because Hermione wasn't exactly a social butterfly, she wouldn't ever come into contact with Blaise.

Draco knew that if Blaise Zanbini took interest in her then he definitely wouldn't have a chance at winning over Hermione. His fist tightened into balls as he stood there thinking of Blaise and Hermione going around doing kind works and making people laugh and love them.

Hermione felt another presence in the room, something she had a knack for, and her laughter quickly faded as she noticed the bane of her existence had joined them in the common room. The silence was broken with an "Io mate, fancy seeing you here? Good Saturday? I hope it was a day well spent. I was just leaving actually…" Hermione stared at her new Italian friend with a look that said why would you do this to me and I'm going to murder you later. "We were just chatting and having some delectable tea, you can have mine. She just refilled it and I have yet to take a sip, being too caught up in the conversation. You should really sit and drink it; we wouldn't want it to chill and go to waste. I will be leaving having many prior engagements with some very lovely ladies, though none as lovely as Miss Granger here." With that statement and a wink Blaise made towards the portrait hole. "Zanbini!" was all Hermione could muster but his long legs had already carried him out the portrait whole. He managed to turn back around and give her a cheeky wave before completely exiting.

After sitting in silence for a while Hermione decided to pick up a book and read. If Malfoy wasn't going to bother her then she didn't really mind staying in the common room. She didn't want to give him the idea that he could make her inconvenience herself for his sake. So she stayed in her chair.

Several moments had passed and Hermione had begun to feel somewhat comfortable when Draco decided to ruin things. "Do you think your goons would be keen to know you were spending your Saturdays locked up with a slytherin?" The anger that lay latent in Hermione started to simmer. "Malfoy, do you know it's offensive that people don't have the confidence in me to handle myself? I am not a child or an invalid. I can very well handle myself. My "goons" as you call them are not my sitters, but my friends. I survived a war, did I not? I've survived living with you so far haven't I?!" As Draco watched her get progressively more irate he mentally kicked himself. He really hadn't meant to piss her off but honestly couldn't help it. It seemed everything he said to her was a trigger.

"Granger, I didn't mean it that way, I'm just warning you people may take that the wrong way." He said standing in the Kitchen trying to seem aloof as possible.

"Really Malfoy, and when did you start worrying about my reputation?" She began as she shut her book and stood up.

"I don't. I'm just stating the obvious. Are you always this fun to converse with ….or are the people like Potter and the Weasels and apparently now Zanbini just sadists?!" He wished slightly that he had tried to be a bit more civil and began to prepare himself for her rage.

When he found no hex being wielded at him and she wasn't about to assail him with her book he was surprised and a little disappointed. As much as he hated fighting with her, he took pleasure in igniting her passionate side. Her facial expression and what she said befuddled him. She had her contemplative look in her eye when she said "no, they aren't….you're the only one who can immediately send me over the edge like this………"

Malfoy realized she was completely in her own head when she bit her lip and shook her head. He was at a loss for words when she out of nowhere sprinted up the stairs towards her room.

**A/N: **So that's this chapter I hoped you liked it. I understand if you didn't, you can tell me why. Like I've said this is my first fanfic so there isn't really a plan….well there is but it's more of an Idea of an outline. This is purely based on my whim to write. Oh and I got the Idea for the portrait from this website that list all the famous wizards and witches that appear on chocolate frogs. I wanted to give them credit. .info/wizards/card_


	5. Confusion and Impending trouble

You Are My Sweetest Downfall

Ch 5: Confusion and Impending trouble

**Disclaimer: **I'm obviously do not and would never try to claim to own any of J.K. Rowling's characters as my own. Well I might if it was Draco but I'm sure she would understand.

In the hectic dining hall Draco searched for the golden brown hair he had come to be able to easily recognize. It was usually in the vicinity of two red heads and a mop of dark brown hair. He spotted the heads of hair and noticed how they were talking with expressions of concern on their faces and he knew that Hermione had not snuck down to dinner without him knowing. Whatever had happened he didn't think was a step in the right direction with her. She had looked almost scared. Fear was something that rarely graced Hermione's features so he had reason to worry.

He turned to what had started his recent encounter with her, Zanbini. He was sitting next to Draco, content with the silence, which was something they both always appreciated about their friendship. They didn't have to fill the air with unnecessary banter all the time. They could simply enjoy each other's company in silence. Now was not a time Draco was going to let Blaise enjoy anything.

"What was that today?" he stated accusatorily. Blaise looked up from his mash potatoes and nonchalantly explained that he was having a rough day and the darling Granger had come to console him, which he hadn't expected. After a moment of starring off in the distance he added "but if you really think about it, I shouldn't have been too surprised. That just seems to be the kind of person she is and I guess she doesn't have biases, even towards a nasty slytherin like myself."

"Yeah well we got into tussle after your hasty departure." Draco said as he started to rub his neck. Blaise responded with a laugh "Well what did you expect? Isn't that you two's way of interacting? After what, six years? Has there ever been a civil exchange between the two of you? Man, its simple statistics."

"Are we gossiping about Granger?" came from a suddenly excited Theo Nott. "Yeah mate, who else capture Draco's attention other than that one." Blaise said with a mischievous smile. Nott, like the hormonal school boy he was, eagerly affirmed "whose attention can't that girl hold? She is looking especially delectable this year."

There was silence. Blaise and Draco had two opposite reactions: Blaise, with a school boy smirk on his handsome features and Draco with lips tightened into a straight tense line. Theo looked back and forth from his two friends and proclaimed "what?! Are you both blind or have you finally come out of the closet?......I know I'm right. I have eyes! And she looks good." Blaise came to Theo rescue with "we know mate but uh….lets go to the pitch and have our girl talk there." That way when Draco beats you in a jealous rage we won't be in too much trouble because the mess will be easier to clean up, Blaise thought.

Apparently Theo didn't pick up on social cues, nor did he have a filter, but he may have had a death wish with the way he kept on about Hermione on the way to the Quiditch pitch. His ranting about the head girl had acquired Dean Thomas. They were sitting in the stands just joking and cajoling like boys usually do.

Draco stayed silent like a stone. "I think it's the good little school girl vibe she gives off. Like she'd be a great student, if you know what I mean…" Nott continued. All the boys waggled their heads in agreement. "I dig her because she isn't afraid to call you out on your crap; she is like a small little firecracker", Thomas uttered as he nudge Blaise in the ribs. Now that the war was over they were able to converse with students from other houses more easily, especially when they can bond over something like girls. Blaise noticed Draco's grim appearance and added for humorous affect "Well I fancy her because she doesn't make me want to avada myself every time I speak to her. Unlike when I hear most other girls talk she actually usually has something intelligent to say." Nott interjected with "She is perfect, isn't she? How come I haven't honored her with my attention yet?"

Finally Draco burst out with, "because she wouldn't give any of you arses the time of day!" Thomas looked almost truly offended and said "I'm hurt by your lack of confidence in my woman wooing skills. I think we're just going to have to prove you wrong." All the boys again nodded in agreement. "Now that Zanbini got to talked to her I want my chance. I don't know why I've bypassed her all these years but it's our last year and she is the one to go after." Was the last foreboding comment Nott made before Draco stormed off.

"What's that wanker's problem?" The boys asked in unison. Blaise just shook his head and laughed at his now poor, hopeless friend.

Draco was not going to let those idiots get a hold of Hermione. He couldn't just befriend her now she had to be his so that he could protect her, or so that's how he justified his extreme overprotection.

Meanwhile Hermione sat up in her bed, where she had been mulling over her recent epiphany, and shivered. She suddenly had a very omniscient feeling about the upcoming week, like there was going to be definite mischief afoot. She laughed at herself for sounding like Trelawney. Then went back to thinking why did she let Draco have such an effect on her.

As Draco furiously made his way back into the castle he was so involved in his thoughts of Hermione that he didn't see that he ran into a first year Gryffindor girl. He looked at her angrily at first for getting in his way but then her terrified upset face registered with him and he quickly softened his gaze and began to help her pick up her books. A couple of slytherin third years passed by snickering and congratulated him. For some reason this infuriated Draco. He gave them his evilest glare and picked up the remaining books off the floor. For a tiny Gryffindor she must have some strength to carry all these book he thought. He looked down at her and she nervously stared back. "My sincere apologizes for not watching where I was walking Miss…." asked Draco smoothly. The young girl with big brown eyes looked shocked beyond belief and the group of nasty slytherins stood there dumbfounded. "Uh…it's Alanna", she meekly replied as she blushed. Draco sort of realized why Hermione was so gentle with the first years, they were so little and confused. He found it funny and he chuckled, which then he realized was out loud and now the little Gryffindor was looking at him with a curious look on her face. The slytherins looked at him as if he had just become a castle ghost. "Well, Miss Alanna, where can I escort you with these heavy books?" She stood in awkward silence. Draco was guessed that she was debating if this was a trick or not, smart girl. "We can't have you lugging theses books all around the castle on your own. You'll be cripple by the end of the year." He said in a chivalrous manner holding out his free hand for her to show the way. She flashed him a smile of gratitude and said, "To the library to drop off some of these and pick up some new ones."

He escorted the girl off to the library gave her a curt nod good bye and made his way back to his dorm. The little Gryffindor had reminded of a certain more grown up Gryffindor and he had a hankering to have some sort of encounter with. He didn't make it far before he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned around to find the same little Gryffindor. She politely stated "… um Mr. Malfoy, you still have one of my books….." He looked down at his hands to find a copy of Hogwarts; A History in his pale hands. "How very forgetful of me; here you go", he said quickly. "It's my favorite book, I couldn't let you take it, sorry", she said. He began to walk away and she yelled out, "thanks Mr. Malfoy!" Draco suddenly felt awkward about the whole situation but still looked kindly at the girl and said "yeah sure". This situation was starting to feel very surreal.

Going down the hallway a bit further and a bit faster Draco felt he needed to see Hermione now more than ever. When he felt another tap on his shoulder he was extremely unhappy to find no Gryffindor, but a slytherin behind him when he turned around. He didn't even really have to look at the girl to know who it was the way she automatically clinged to him. It was of course Pansy Parkinson his pseudo-wife. "Parkinson, please declaw yourself from my person and let me be about my business" he said with disdain. She whined "but Draco! You've been turning me down all year." Draco gave her a yeah take the hint look and abruptly left her standing in the hallway.

Hermione was baffled for the second time that day. She had finally decided to make her way back to the library where she witnessed two conundrums. First, she sees the slytherin hard ass helps a distressed first year, a Gryffindor at that. The next where the slytherin sex god turned down the easiest lay in Hogwarts, which he apparently had been doing for weeks. She didn't know what to make of this as she stood in front of the library. When did she ever not get things? When was Draco sort of a decent person? All she could muster was, "What the hell?!"

**A/N:** Well here is the chapter. I know not much action has happened but its coming.


	6. Lady

You Are My Sweetest Downfall

Ch 6: Lady

**Disclaimer: **Me, own Harry Potter? Yeah that could never happen.

**A/N:** So the song Lady, by Lenny Kravitz totally inspired me for this chapter. When Hermione walks through the dining hall imagine that song playing in the background. That's why I put the Author's note at the top. I would also like to say I'm feeling a little unsure about my story. I can't believe I'm saying this cause when I first decided I was going to post this story I said I didn't want reviews because then people could tell me how bad it sucked but now with the lack of reviews I'm feeling a little lost. Now, some constructive criticism doesn't seem like such a bad idea. Thank you to everybody who has added my story to their alerts or favorite. I appreciate that y'all have read some of it and actually want to keep reading.

Being extremely hungry having skipped dinner the previous night, Hermione awoke having a serious feeling of anticipation for breakfast…or at least she thought it was because she was hungry. She took her time getting ready though it being a Sunday and the only reason for her to rush were avoiding Malfoy and getting something in her belly before she passed out.

She had taken a bit longer than she thought getting ready and as a consequence she was one of the last people arriving for breakfast. She swung open the large oak doors to the dining hall and proceeded to walk down the center aisle to her usual spot at the opposite end of the large banquet hall. She walked with determination and purpose to where her friends were sitting but she couldn't help but feel like she had people eyeing her. The feeling was unnerving. She thought back to what she was wearing. It was her usual dark washed jeans and a sweater, okay so she didn't accidently come downstairs in her pajamas. Her eyes scanned the room. The first place she checked was the slytherin table, but found that it was her usually tormentor giving her chills but a grinning Theo Nott sitting next to her recent slytherin acquaintance, Blaise Zanbini. They were both staring at her oddly, not like Draco did, in fact she would prefer Draco's intent stare to the dubious one Nott had. He was overtly grinning and pointing at her, she couldn't believe his audacity.

Blaise gave her a reassuring wink but the heartening feeling that gave her was replaced with skepticism as Nott blew her a kiss. She gave him an odd look then proceeded to the safety of her friends but found no refuge there. She quickly notice Dean Thomas, a few seats across from her, going from staring at her with the same funny look to having a silent conversation with Nott. Once again, all Hermione could think was "What-The-Hell?"

She felt like the only human in a room full of people who were infected with some zombie virus. That idea would have been comical if there wasn't the slight chance that that thought was actually a possibility. She made a mental note to one day study viruses that cause people to become cannibals.

She sat silently through the rest of breakfast concentrating on her food or the daily prophet, joking with or reprimanding her boys when necessary. She was just about to elbow Harry for stealing the last piece of her muffin when she felt a hand lay on her shoulder. The laughter between the trio halted and Hermione promptly looked up to discover the owner of the hand. It was Blaise Zanbini and before she knew it he was asking if she would accompany him for a stroll around the lake. She looked back from Harry and Ron who seemed a little weary and both silently asked her if she wanted them to tell him to "bug off".

Blaise seeing that she felt a little awkward and shocked about his forwardness took his hand off her shoulder and took her hand helping her out of her seat. He gave a cheeky "Don't worry boys, I'll take good care of little Miss Granger here. I promise if she gets eaten by the giant squid or any other harm comes to her I will hex myself for you." The boys still looked a little uncertain, but Hermione did feel partial to Zanbini for some reason or another so she surprised them all by saying, "That won't be necessary Blaise; I'll hex you before anything occurs." Ron and Harry looked up at Blaise with knowing smiles. Before they could depart from the dining hall Harry playfully warned "Oh don't worry Zanbini you'll find out soon enough how well Hermione can take care of herself."

As they started towards the black lake Blaise broke the silence with, "so…how worried should I be?" Hermione grinned and walked confidently ahead of him she pronounced, "Oh, you should be very worried." He chortled "I always knew you'd be trouble" as he ran to catch up with her. There was a moment of silence again before she tentatively replied "you knew I was trouble?"

"Yeah you don't fool me with your book worm facade. I can spot trouble from a mile away and you ,Miss Granger, are trouble", he said with a genuine smile.

"……so is that why you've never spoken to me before?" she asked sheepishly.

She quickly added, "I just thought that you never noticed me before. So that's why you wouldn't try and befriend me, because I was trouble?"

He shushed her and said "Miss Granger I know your brilliant but I'll explain this to you anyways. We'll start with the easy stuff. What house am I part of? And which house just so happens to be its nemesis? And how many year have these two house been known to intermingle?"

There was silence on her end.

He continued with, "More importantly you're pretty intimidating even without you're besties, who guard you like lions by the way. In conclusion, I along with many other Hogwarts students probably are a little hesitant to approach you…you help defeat the dark lord for Merlin's sake! Also, I've never been one to steer away from trouble…"

"Intimidating? Do I come off mean? I mean I've always tried to show kindness to everyone, unless I was standing up for myself or a friend. Great. People think I'm a snob." Hermione began to rattle off.

All Blaise could do was smile and think how unlucky he was for not trying to befriend this girl before and how lucky Draco was. He calmed her neurotic rant with "My adorable Miss Granger, that's not it at all. You're hilarious, you know? By intimidating I meant you're morally steadfast, intelligent, a bit of a smart ass, and on top of a beautiful personality your actually beautiful……Don't tell me you don't know this?"

She just looked away and blushed murmuring, "I just don't see myself that way."

"Add modest to the list. I can see why Potter and Weasley are so protective. If you keep this up I'll never be able to leave you alone." He said as he nudged her. "As your new comrade I feel compelled to tell you that people notice you, especially guys….. Have I made you sufficiently uncomfortable yet?"

She simultaneously bit her lip, smiled, and nodded her mop of curly brown ringlets.

He laughed a laugh which she was beginning to become found of and he simply said "good, cause that's my job."

An easy conversation began again between the two. They sat on a huge smooth bolder near the lake and continued to chat and watch the tentacles of the giant squid break the calm surface. They talked about things like their common love of the rain, Hermione's experience being captured by merpeople at the bottom of the very lake they sat in front of, Blaises problems with commitment and they contently passed the Sunday afternoon. Hermione was in the midst of teasing the Italian about being afraid to tell people he liked to cook when she felt a hand snake around her waist.

Hermione almost jumped out of her skin when she found Theo Nott invading her personal bubble. She turned her head to meet his happy gaze and gave him an incredulous look, which to her dismay did not persuade him to let go of her. "Zanbini mate I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but your times up and I'm going to have to steal Granger here from your grasp." Hermione's brow furrowed further at Nott's comment.

Nott then jumped off the rock and proceeded to pull Hermione off the bolder backwards, by her waist. As she was being wrenched away she looked at Blaise, her new confidant, with pleading eyes. He gave her a regretful smile and said "I tried to warn you."

Keeping his hand on her waste, Nott continue to walk her quickly in the opposite direction of Blaise. Nott babbled on to Hermione about things that in her state of confusion she really wasn't able to grasp. She caught on to things like "are you a golden snitch because I've been seeking you." "Do you make it to the slytherin commons often? How come he hasn't seen her at the parties?" Then as if things couldn't get more awkward she saw Dean Thomas running towards them.

He eagerly pulled her towards him and before she knew it she was stumblingly along being pulled back and forth between the two competitive boys. If their brashness wasn't disconcerting enough they were making their way closer and closer to the borderline of the forbidden forest.

*RULES! RULES! screamed Hermione's mind but she was so overwhelmed that her voice seemed to be lost. Her broca's area of the brain must be malfunctioning today. Did she have a stroke from all the excessive attention she was receiving? Suddenly she was brought back to her unwelcomed reality with a clearing of somebody's throat. The two boys turned her around with them and then she heard a voice say "I need the head girl for a moment." Hermione felt like she was outside her own body watching this whole scene. She was being saved by the most unlikely angel.

When she was still as still as a statue , she felt somebody hastily grab her hand and drag her away from the what she decided later had been her worst nightmare come true. She looked at her savior in amazement and it was none other than her blonde haired head boy. She just stared at him in disbelief. From his light blonde hair, faire skin, and unique gray eyes, she had to admit he had a sort of broodingly beautiful look.

He looked down at the small startled girl and said "We're going to the library……It…It just looked like you needed an excuse to get away. Anyway we have some heads duties we need to attend to." If Hermione wasn't perplexed enough by his answer she was even more perplexed by the fact that he was still holding her hand, which he would continue to do all the way to the library.


	7. Unlikely Angel

You Are My Sweetest Downfall

Ch 7: Unlikely Angel

**Disclaimer:** How many times do I have to say that I'm not that talented and therefore couldn't possibly be the one who envisioned the world of Harry Potter? I in no way own the characters or anything.

He was at the end of the dining hall speaking to Professor Mcgonagall about the next perfects meeting when _**She **_glided through the doors. It took everything he had not to stare like an idiot. She was just wearing some dark jeans and a black sweater, but oh how she wore it. Her hair was curled and sprawled over her shoulders and was blown back as she propelled forward through the great hall. Her complexion looked golden, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink, and her eyes seemed bright. The contrast between the bright white of eyes and her dark chocolate irises was…just something special. The way her eyelashes framed her eyes was also breathtaking. It wasn't like there was a special occasion that she got dressed up for or as if she veered from her usual look but for some reason today her beauty shone especially bright, or at least to him. Then Draco noticed that it wasn't just he who thought so. It seemed that the head girl had many admirers this morning, specifically three other boys. To Draco they looked like wolves savoring a newborn fawn.

Draco knew that it was irrational to be resentful of Blaise's new friendship with Hermione but he couldn't control it. This was something new for Draco, not being able to control his emotions and he desperately wanted to be angry with Hermione over disrupting his control but he couldn't. He had lost complete control. He had lost his cool. He forcibly made himself keep his seat at the end of the slytherin table as he observed his best friend walk over to Hermione and interact with the girl the way Draco could only interact with her in his dreams. He hadn't been expecting Blaise to leave but he just did saying something like "you really shouldn't waste the time you have to spend with her", before getting up and heading over to the Gryffindor table.

More than a few people noticed the morose Draco. Mcgonagall had just left him when he stopped responding to her after the head girl had come for breakfast. Pansy and a few other sluts had been extremely put off when he disregarded their flirtations. Draco was indifferent to these things and tried to remain so for the rest of breakfast.

He sat there alone trying his hardest to think of nothing at all. He would not think about Hermione laughing at Blaise's wit. He would not think about the engaging conversation Hermione was partaking in. He would not think of how the breeze might be blowing through her wild hair or how Blaise might offer her is coat on this cold day. He would not get up and take an "innocent" stroll around the grounds hoping to run into two certain students….or he would.

He abruptly stood up, deciding that if he couldn't have control over his emotions than he wasn't going to try and control his actions anymore either. He didn't care if he seemed like a loony or not to her anyway. It was technically her fault. He even more abruptly sat back down when he realized that crazy people usually didn't fare to well in relationships.

His resolve rapidly dissolved when he spotted Nott followed by Thomas leaving the great hall. His actions in the past may have ruined his chances with the Granger now but he definitely could not stand by and let these pons have her.

He told himself that he would just simply watch over to make sure they didn't try anything that she wouldn't like or put her in any type of danger but the next thing he knew he had her by the hand and was dragging her back towards the castle.

She looked bewildered yet beautiful and he couldn't help but feel that her small hand belonged in his larger rougher one, if for any reason but to protect it. It was so delicate and soft he didn't want to let go, so he told himself that when she came to her senses and finally pulled her hand away, in disgust, is when he would let go; to his immense surprise she never did. This gave him the idea that he would stick around her as long as she would allow him. If things weren't occurring naturally with Hermione then he was just going to force things to happen.

Spinning himself towards Hermione, he looked her dead in the eye and gave her his best I'm dead serious face and said "Granger I'm going to say something and you're not going to like it."

She looked at him like he was crazy and when he still didn't say anything Hermione broke the silence with "Well Malfoy I don't like 99 percent of the things that come out of your gob so don't worry, I can handle it." Even though she might have been dazed out of her mind these past few days with all the strange encounters/thoughts she had been having, she wasn't about to let Malfoy catch her off guard again. While saying this though she couldn't help but notice how Malfoy had been so odd. First of all he rescued her, secondly he held her hand, then once he told her he was going to tell her something he looked as though he was debating in his head about something. Usually when he did something he was very decisive.

His decisive side finally kicked in. "Hope you can handle this then Granger. I'm taking you on a date. And no, you don't get a choice in the matter", he said with his usual smirk.

"What…Why?"She said shaking her head being truly stunned.

"Because I couldn't very well have those two idiots back there take you on a date. They wouldn't do it as well as I would and you would probably be ripped in half before the end. Then I would be stuck doing all the head's duties by myself", he said pointing back towards where he had saved Hermione from Nott and Thomas and then grabbing her hand again, with a determined smile and pulling her along toward the library.

She was about to protest when he stopped put his hand over her mouth and simply said "we're going."

Hermione couldn't very well argue with his logic, though she wanted to badly. Something about him made her want, no, NEED to prove him wrong. She felt she needed to show him that he wasn't always right about things just because he said he was right about him. It was something that Blaise had said back on the rock earlier that allowed her to let herself be carried away to the library by her arch nemesis.

*****FLASHBACK******

"So….why didn't you come down for dinner last night?" Blaise said with an omniscient smile.

Hermione paused considering if she should tell Blaise her problems, deliberating if their friendship was moving too fast and she was trusting him too soon. She quickly laughed that thought off because: A) she was acting like her and Blaise's friendship was a relationship. B) Blaise has already confided a quite a bit in her in their whirl wind friendship so she should have no problem returning the trust. The Slytherin house was the one more wary of trusting so that must say something for Blaise to have put his trust in her. C) She felt like, as corny as this sounded, that Blaise had been dropped into her life for a reason, like they should have been friends longer and things needed to go quickly to make up for lost time.

So she told him. She told him how she had gotten into her customary daily fight with Malfoy and suddenly realized that she let Malfoy get to her way too much. She told him how this for some reason really bothered her because nobody else made her feel like Malfoy did. She continued to explain how she had shut herself in her room because she had been feeling overwhelmed and just wanted to be alone.

Blaise mumbled, "He owes me one." Before he went on to say " Hermione, have you ever thought that you might, hear me out before you bite my head off……that you might enjoy the way Malfoy makes you feel?"

"Oh yes Blaise, I'm actually a masochist so I rather take pleasure in being annoyed and angered beyond belief when I'm around him" , She said with a laugh.

"Anger might be on the surface but I bet you'll find that there is another emotion that is lying latent underneath it. I mean think about it. Draco could be a good option for you", Blaise coyly replied.

Hermione almost burst out "HOW did you know about my dream?!"

"What dream?"

Hermione gave Blaise a serious glare before countering his question with "So you swear on Merlin's wand that you haven't used legilimency on me?"

"Miss Granger, I'm flattered that you think I have the skill to use legilimency but I'll even swear on Merlin's balls that I didn't. That may be a brilliant idea for future reference though."

"Really? Okay well I feel compelled to get this off my chest so I'm going to tell you and for "future reference" I will severely maim you if you even think of trying to steal my secrets using legilimency", she continued and went into explaining her dream she had the night before. The dream she had where she was little and in the kitchen with her mum in her childhood home. It was a summer day and the light was streaming through the window of the kitchen and she was sitting on a stool next to her mother near the counter. She and her mum were making gingerbread men, which she had thought was an odd dessert for summer, but she felt so content in that moment that she made no protest and continued making hers and smiling up at her mother. Her mum bent down close to her and whispered in her ear "make him a good one cause this may be your only chance to actually mold the perfect man." Hermione had looked questioningly up at her mother. She smiled back down at her little rational Hermione and said "Honey, you can have control over a lot of things and you may be able to mold things but you can't really mold people. You won't be able to make your perfect guy, because what you think is perfect may not be right for you. You'll just have to find a guy that can make you as happy as the little one you've just built." Hermione hadn't realized that she had been simultaneously building her gingerbread while her mother spoke and when she looked down it was not a gingerbread man at all that she had built. She held in her hand a small replica of Draco Malfoy.

That's when Blaise brought up how he secretly loved to cook.

**********END Flashback**********************

Draco had fully expected Hermione to hex his arm off and run in the opposite direction by now and was more than a giddy that she hadn't. He pulled the silent Hermione into the library, which more empty than usual. He led her to the back corner where there was a table that was mainly boxed in by three tall bookshelves. There was also a big window and there was also two worn in armchairs. This was Hermione's "secret" spot which Draco decided would be the perfect place for their date. It was a place she would feel most comfortable. He figured he would need to make her as comfortable as possible.

Before they reached their destination they passed Madam Pince who gave Malfoy a quick nod wishing them a productive heads meeting.

"You lied to Madam Pince?!" Hermione whispered with as much force as one could whisper. It was more like a yell disguised as whisper.

"Of course not", Draco drawled. "I told her we were having a head's meeting. We are both head's as is indicated by the badges we wear and here we are _meeting_ in the library."

Hermione wanted to berate him for making her part of a lie but she couldn't help but notice how attractive he looked with the evil smirk playing on his lips and his hands placed behind his back. He looked like a naughty school boy, which in fact he was. All Hermione could muster was "Well bending the truth is still lying for you information."

"No, I did not know that Granger but I do now. You learn something new every day. This is why I need to be around you, so I can learn the right things. You mainly learn how to plot evil schemes when accompany slyterins." He said with another beguiling smirk.

"I figured as much." She said with an amused looked on her face. Draco was thoroughly pleased with himself. He had managed to force her into a date with him and to amuse her. This was going exactly as planned or actually exactly not as planned cause he hadn't really planned for her to actually come.

His heart sank a bit when he realized she had put her defenses, which she always seemed to have up around him, back up. "So when are things going back to normal?" she asked him blatantly while crossing her arms.

"Normal, I'm sure I have no clue what you mean. It isn't like I dragged you through a whole castle to come on this date with me. You can leave if you want but them you'll miss this…." He sat down in one of the big warn out armchairs and pulled out a book. The book that happened to be this witch's favorite book, Hogwarts; A History. He was prepared with a few tricks up his sleeve to entice her to stay.

*GASP! "How did you get this?! It has been checked out for weeks", she said as she greedily stared at the book.

"I'm surprised you don't have your own copy by now or at least have it memorized", he chuckled. "Don't worry I'm saving for my own copy and memorizing it isn't the same as seeing the words in print. You don't get the whole experience. You don't get the feel of the pages or the great smell of the book." She replied in a transfixed voice as she lovingly stroked the book, smoothing her hands over the pages as if she were soaking in the knowledge through her skin.

"Yeah well I'm head boy so I have my resources." He knew he could get her stay at least for a bit now. He looked over at her and couldn't help but smile. She seemed all complicated and like and untouchable genius but now she was like a small child, so pleased with something as simple as a book. It also meant she had something to intently focus her attention on which he thought might make her more at ease. He was happy intently watching her for a second before he seemed like a sturderer (a stalker turned murderer) She had her brow furrowed but that didn't worry him because that just meant she was concentrating. What did worry him was that she started to shiver. Yet she kept on reading, ignoring the fact that she had just recently been outside in the chilly weather and the fact that she did have a cloak on the floor next to her bags. The girl would simply ignore her body's needs in order to devote her sole concentration on this book. This worried him. This sort of behavior could be harmful to her health; she was really taking reading to the next level. This girl just made reading dangerous. That is something special.

He went away for a second (she didn't seem to notice) and came back with a tray tea and a blanket. He dangled the blanket in front of her face for a full minute and when she didn't notice. When she persisted to ignore him he got frustrated and got over his reluctance to touch her and make her feel uncomfortable and draped the blanket around her shoulders. He felt her shiver more violently when he touched her so he quickly withdrew his hands. "Yeah um you were cold and didn't seem to notice but I'm sorry if I broke your trance." He muttered. Her reply "No, um I appreciate it? As long as it isn't laced with small pox or anything…"

???

"I'm just being silly. Is that tea? Did the house elves bring that up?" She inquired.

"No, actually I went down to the kitchens earlier and brought it back up. Madam Pince agreed to keep it warm up here for me since we're in a heads meeting and all. I just couldn't help but notice that whenever you have a book in your hand there isn't a cup of tea too far off. So I asked my chap Blaise, who is apparently your chap too I guess what you actually drink. Spice tea right? With cream?" He handed her a cup.

She looked flabbergasted.

"Granger, you can be peeved at Blaise if you want. He readily divulged your favorite drink and if it wasn't for him I probably would have gotten to where we are at right now."

"……Your right. We should get along for his sake. You must be really close to him, not wanting to make his life more complicated by being…this way, towards me." She said before taking a sip of tea and looking back down at her book.

Somehow Draco didn't think she had taken that statement that way he had meant for her to. He didn't really know how to fix it though without offending her more so he picked up his own book and started to read. It was 30 Potions You should Probably Won't Learn In School. 

They both sat in the library and drank tea and read for the rest of the Sunday afternoon. It was quiet and at some points a bit awkward but it the air was more comfortable than anything. Hermione sat in her Chair and Draco, in his. When Hermione finished one book Draco would show her a pile of suggestion books he had and when He finished one he would ask if she would recommend something. Other than that there wasn't really a need for talking. To Hermione's great relief the few people who did wish to bother her, people like Padma Patil, with unnecessary chatter or tried to steal her prime location Draco would shoo off. It was great.

It was great until something in Hermione clicked. Things were too at ease. Though the war was over she was never really completely at ease. Not that she didn't want to be, but it just made her realize that she couldn't be or something would happen, or it already had and she just didn't know about it yet. When you felt that true moment of comfort and relaxation is when terrible would strike.

She instantly stood up taking the blanket off her shoulders and laying the book in the armchair behind her and began to gather her things. Draco noticed her swift actions and kind of just stared at her not really knowing how to react. He didn't want to show her sadness or the anger he felt but he couldn't really pretend to be happy about her sudden rush to leave either.

"I can't be here on a date with you." She said in a very hushed tone. Draco almost couldn't make out what she had said. "What, do you have something against my blood? He said hoping humor would work.

"Lets not go there Malfoy", she challenged. "Draco, I just don't date really. I'm sorry I should have told you before. It was nice though…."

Draco was seriously confused and not liking the turn his date was taking. "Okay well don't call it that if that makes you feel better. We can spend time in the same vicinity can't wait we? This proves that I don't have some evil plot to kill you and you don't always want to rip my throat out either. We do have a mutual friend now too."

Draco could literally see the wheels in Hermione's head turning. She started to settle down a bit. "Valid points, Malfoy." She finally sat back down but still dawned her book bag on her shoulder

"Now that that's over we actually do have some heads business", Draco said regretfully. They "had words" over a few subjects of heads business but she stayed in the library with him and they walked, albeit silently, down to dinner. It was a start?

**A/N:** Sorry it took me so long to update but I really wasn't inspired to write this last chapter. Sorry if it is really bad but I had to force myself to write it.


	8. Popular Consensus

You Are My Sweetest Downfall

Ch 8: Popular Consensus

**Disclaimer: **what is my name? Certainly not JK Rowling. I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters.

**A/N:** you asked for some fire so here is my attempt at it. Thank you to all who reviewed you made me feel awesome! I don't really know what happened but just a warning I think I got a little or a lot cheesy. I couldn't help myself. I just started typing and it's what came out.

For Hermione it was a usual week at her favorite place in the world-Minus the fact that she spent an awful lot of time with Draco Malfoy and by some strange twist of fate had not killed him or herself yet. It was extremely surreal. Idiotic things still came out of his mouth but Hermione was able to take them with a grain of salt and even realize that he said some not so idiotic things as well.

It was nice being around him. He didn't make her talk if she didn't want to and if she wanted to talk he gave her some of the most stimulating conversation she had ever had. They argued constantly and Hermione still had to fight the urge to beat him repeatedly with one of her books but their arguments seemed less malicious these days. When she was around him though she felt the way she did on the weekends, like she didn't have to worry about keeping up with protocol. She didn't have to worry about pleasing him because she honestly didn't care if he liked her. Though she adored Harry, Ron, and now Blaise being around them she still felt the need to talk about the things they wanted to talk about, go where they wanted to go but with Draco she didn't have to be her people pleasing self.

He also didn't really give her much of a choice in the matter of his presence. He just started showing up where she was. He would catch up to with her in the halls on the way to classes or meals. She couldn't say she minded this because whenever he would walk with her people would usually steer clear and she was free to stay in her head. The only ones who were brave enough to join them were the people she didn't mind bringing her out of her head: Harry, Blaise, and Ginny. Ron still wasn't too keen on befriending Malfoy. They basically were silent around each other. They communicated through mumbles and head nods.

Throughout the week Hermione began to secretly enjoy their silent argumentative friendship. She sadly had to admit that a sick twisted part of her even more secretly enjoyed being riled up by him.

Draco on the other hand was ambivalent on how he felt about his week. His plan to stay around her as until she pushed him away was working swimmingly. She had yet to physically push him, just thrown a few choice words his way. Was he to expect anything different? They were both creatures of habit and their verbal battles had been a nasty habit they had been nursing for years now. Plus a sick part of him secretly enjoyed riling her up. They probably had had a tussle in almost every spot in Hogwarts Castle.

His problem was he didn't know where to go from here. He didn't want to scare her away. Though she seemed to be able to handle dangerous life threatening situations, she didn't seem to handle real life situations too well. In situations that crossed her social boundaries she was like a small woodland creature; ready to flee at the first sign of crossing. She seemed to like or at least become accustomed to his presence now but he wasn't sure he could spend his whole life at the borderline of her boundaries.

His obsessive observing had taught him a lot. List of things that crossed her boundaries: Touching her too much if you weren't Harry, Ron (who seemed too scared to touch her anyway), or Blaise now (who she inexplicably felt more than at ease with (which drove Draco crazy)). Cheesy come on lines were also a no no. If a person wanted to get close to Hermione they shouldn't even think about doing any of the following either: invading her personal space too much, look over her shoulder at what she is writing or reading, trying to drink after her, stare at her too much, try and hold her hand. Hermione usually didn't react violently if people did these things, she really only reacted violently to Harry, Ron, and himself (should he be happy about this?) quite the opposite she would react very politely but she would distance herself from them. Draco decided it was definitely a bad thing if Hermione was on her best behavior around you. It meant you weren't getting the whole Hermione, just part of her. Oh and all of these boundaries apparently didn't apply to Blaise. He could do basically anything and she would pretty much laugh it off. Harry and Ron probably could do the same thing but they treated her like she was some kind of china doll.

He had noted all these things but still had no clue what to do.

Hermione had taken to having Blaise over to the common room after classes and they would do homework or study together. It was great that she and Blaise were friends now because now she didn't always have to partner with Harry or Ron. He was also an extremely talented wizard who was even able to use wandless magic. That Friday after classes, she and Blaise went back to the common room to work/chat. Blais e even allowed her to read ahead in the book and then work on what she learned with him.

Blaise was in a mid "Oi Miss Granger would you like a refill on your tea…" when a Draco Malfoy burst through the portrait hole. He stopped in the living room and gave a quick "Granger"-head nod, "Zanbini"-head nod. His nods were returned by the two friends on the couch. He gave another head nod towards his room and said I'm off to fly for a bit. It seemed like a silent if anybody would like to join was added to the end of his statement. It's the same concept for a silent you being added to the sentence; it's not really there but it's implied.

Hermione raised her eyebrows and grimaced and went back to reading her text book. Blaise on the other hand had that unspoken boy conversation within that lasted about a millisecond. He turned to Hermione grasped both her hands like a little boy asking for something very important and said "pick this up tomorrow after breakfast?" There was a pause before a devilish grin spread across his face and he said "unless you would like to join?" Both the boys raised their eyebrow simultaneously.

"Breakfast tomorrow would be great." She said with an understanding smile. He jumped up gave her a peck on the cheek and said "well if your sure…don't learn or have too much fun without me." Blaise turned around picked up his cloak while Draco ran up his stairs to grab his cloak and broom. Before they left the portrait hole Blaise spun around with a stoic face and said to her "I'm serious. Crookshanks is in charge till I get back." The boys then exited leaving Hermione giggling on the couch.

As the boys made their way to the quidditch pitch Draco gave Blaise a, "Thanks for that."

"Malfoy, I'm just showing you what you're missing. And you better hurry up because I'm becoming fonder of Miss Granger with each passing day…" Blaise teased.

They walked silently on towards the pitch. It was really cold out and beginning to get dark already. They could hear was the whooshing of the wind and all they could see was the dark green grass as they made their way towards the pitch. Draco blew a breath and you could see it as it hung in the air between them as they looked down at the pitch. "It's not that easy. I'm giving my situation the best efforts so that when she turns me down she won't kick me in the balls and spit in my face."

"Mate, look you don't have to worry about that….because your face isn't that important, your modeling career clearly hasn't taken off, and more importantly sweet Miss Granger has already taken your balls. Really, though you have to do something. You can't stay stuck in this bizarre relationship limbo forever. She will eventually start becoming comfortable around you and you'll be placed in the friends table with Harry, Ron, and I. It's called the breakfast table and she'll be inviting you to join shortly."

"It's just that I never expected Granger to even let me be around her without her screaming something at me or suspecting me of some evil plan. Now that I have that I don't want to go ruining it by scaring her away", Draco explained.

They felt a hand snake around both their shoulders and a familiar annoying voice said "Are we talking about my favorite subject, Granger, again? It was a real asshole move you pulled the other day by the way. Stealing what I had already stolen from Zanbini. You better make a move fast or else I'll be making one for you…though if snog her first and she rejects you later you may loosen her up a bit for me…." In one swift move Draco threw Nott off him and pushed him into a seat in the stands. "I'll do what I please, she is none of you business."

"If Miss Granger could only see you now Draco, she would be livid, you staking your claim on her" said Blaise offering the end of his broom to Nott to help him up. "Yeah should wouldn't appreciate you roughhousing with me either" Nott childishly proclaimed. Blaise came back quick with a "Nah man that she wouldn't mind too much."

All three boys were startled when something from behind them said "You're all wrong. Hermione would pretend to miffed at Draco's chauvinistic display but a part of her would relish in the fact that he cared enough to be angry. She doesn't think she would but she would-- How can three of the most shaggable guys in the school have so little insight into the mind of a woman?"

The boys did a slow motion turn around to find Ginny Weasley hovering over them on her broom. She had been flying around after quidditch practice and was about to fly back to the castle when she saw the boys having a little pow wow in the stands.

"Hermione doesn't date because she doesn't think anybody would ever really want her and she doesn't want to be tricked or settle into a relationship like she has seen other silly girls do. You should know that that is Hermione's worst fear being tricked or perceived as a stereotypical stupid girl who makes bad relationship choices. You've got to make the first move and make it CLEAR you want her. She may appear to have boundaries but hasn't Hermione proved throughout the years in defeating voldamort and breaking a majority of major school rules in the process that boundaries are meant to be crossed..As long as they are for the right reasons of course", Ginny said looking sternly at Draco and then flew off on her broom.

"Does anybody else find themselves scared shitless of her and yet really attracted to her at the same time?" asked Nott as Draco flew off on his broom back in the direction of his dorm.

Blaise just had a huge smile on his face which Nott was confused about until he heard "yeah that is the usual reaction I get. Harry still sometimes flinches when I move sporadically." Ginny had flown back and landed on the bleachers to give the boys some second thoughts she had.

"So, Ginny, how did you have such insight into Draco and Hermione?" Inquired Blaise, Nott just nodded his head awestruck.

"I just know this stuff. Plus do I need remind you that I know Hermione like Hermione knows the library and I've been listening to you and Harry complain about Draco all week? I'm also not a complete idiot, which helps."

**Later that Friday night back in the dorm room……………..**

Hermione's eyes had gotten tired and she decided she should heed her mother's advice and stop reading when her eyes began to water "so that she won't be blind be the time she is twenty." She decided that she really didn't want to stay in her uniform any longer either, so she filled her cup of tea and went back to her dorm to change into her pajamas early.

Upon entering her room she noticed how pretty her windows looked all foggy and tear stained from the rain. She loved the cold weather for nothing more than it was an excuse to get in really comfy clothes and cocoon herself in a blanket and lie in bed trying to stay warm. She threw on some night shorts, a tank top and black hooded zip up sweater and began the metamorphosis process, not that she expected to emerge a butterfly or anything. She just wanted to stay wrapped up and warm for a long period of time.

Draco had entered the common room hoping to find Hermione asleep on the couch or in her favorite chair or even still up reading, but when there was no evidence of her in there he decided to call it an early night and head to bed.

_**REALLY**_** late that Friday night……………………………………………………………………………**

There was a loud banging which Draco _**REALLY**_ wished would desist immediately. When he realized the he could he the portrait guardian screaming in rage he figured he better check things out to make sure there wasn't any danger.

When he got downstairs Hermione was already at the door with her wand pointed readily at the portrait hole and she was in a prepared battle stance. It was when they heard "Malfoy or Miss Granger please open up!" that they both relaxed. Draco took a step forward and reassured "Its Blaise, he might be a little inebriated."

It was in fact Blaise but he was also accompanied by Lavender Brown and Harry and Ginny. They all looked eagerly back at the groggy Draco and Hermione. Ginny looked back and forth from the sleep wear clad Draco and Hermione and gave a "Really guys?" Harry and Lavender both stifled laughs after seeing their all too tired and serious faces.

She continued anyway, "It's a Friday night and you're both in pajamas already in bed by the looks of both of you? I expected more from the two of you. This is the last year we have to celebrate. DO THINGS WE WOULDN'T NORMALLY DO (looks directly at Draco)-----Okay well we came here to invite you two on a covert trip to Hogsmeade."She smiled up at them clutching Harry's arm.

"Yeah a couple bones to pick with a Miss Granger. Why haven't gotten the password to this place from either of you", Blaise said giving Malfoy a pointed glance. "And why didn't you tell me Harry has possibly the best troublemaker's kit in the world? Oh and by the way nice nightties", he said with a wink.

Hermione blushed deeply most likely from anger and embarrassment because way too many people were seeing her in inappropriate attire. Lavender, the impatient child she was finally broke the tense silence with "So are you joining or not?" The four students outside the door jumped and wiggled and made all sorts of excited hand gestures to coax the two heads out of their dorm. They had the opposite effect though and they both decided that they were not up for the serious mischief that was about to be had.

Then the head boy was left alone in the common room with the head girl. Draco couldn't help but ogle a bit. She was wearing a pair of shorts that resembled guy's boxer but they were shorter and made for girls obviously, or he hopped obviously because then he would be stressed to know where she had gotten a pair of guys boxers. He realized that was a rather silly thought because why would he need to be worried of a guy that wore boxers that short that were a Kelly green color with white filigree owls covering them. He was semi taken out of his trance when she moved towards their kitchen area and said "Okay so I'm up for a stint now." She began to pull out a tea kettle and mug and absentmindedly asked "Want some tea?"

"Um yeah thanks" he mumbled. He continued to watch her make tea. Then she walked over to him placed his mug on the coffee table and she sat down across from him crossed legged on her favorite chair. She fiddled with her tea bag for a minute before saying "so this shouldn't be weird but it may seem odd but I'm going to ask you anyway."

Draco was frozen.

"What upset you today that made you have to go take a flying getaway with Blaise?"

"I just enjoy a good flight and today seemed like a good day for that."Draco said calmly with the same cool aloof exterior he had made sure to come in with when he had left to go flying earlier.

"Malfoy, we may have not been best mates for seven years but I have been around you for that long so your mask doesn't always work on me. I can also spot undisclosed boy discussions from hundreds of yards away, being that my two actual best friends are boys. If I need to offer you more evidence, than I should tell you that you may want to be a little more delicate with Queen Maeve. She doesn't appreciate being slammed so she readily divulged how you were peculiarly pacing in front of the portrait hole earlier", Hermione said stated coolly.

When Draco didn't say something Hermione got up a little down hearted that her attempts to get more comfortable with him had failed and started back up towards her bedroom. "Or keep me in the dark, that's fine too I guess." Hermione whispered.

"Hey wait, that's not it Granger---I just didn't think you were comfortable talking about personal stuff with your arch nemesis."

"Malfoy, I may be stubborn but I'm not going to hold the stuff you did against me when you were younger. I forgive you, though you were pretty terrible and you still aggravate the hell out of me. You were forced into my life this year so I'm at least going to be interested in you. I'm not heartless."

Draco was now more than willing to forgive Blaise for rudely awaking him if his evening kept up in this manner. He couldn't show her more how he felt nor was he sure he had the courage to let her in more. He couldn't concentrate either with her looking the way she did all disoriented in her shorts with her tan legs and her hips and her beautiful neck and clavicles.

He went purely on instinct and swooped in to the chair she was sitting on resting each one of his hands on the armrest and loomed over her before kissing the shocked girl straight on the mouth as he had wanted to do for many weeks now. Within a few seconds of feeling his warm lips caressing hers she moaned into his kiss.

She attributed her actions to three things: She was tired, she was in her comfy chair, and he was in nothing but a pair of green boxers with his toned stomach and beautifully defined forearms. She came out of her haze though to both of their dismays. Draco rested his head on the side of the armchair and looked up at the flushed Hermione.

"I really did have a proper date planned before I planned to do that. I would have done the right thing and wooed you first. If you hadn't been so….." Draco couldn't finish though.

"What the hell?-woo me are you serious?" She said more to herself than anybody.

Things escalated quickly like they had with the kiss. "Popular consensus says you've been a right jerk to me my whole life. It's called forgive and forget not forgive and start a relationship with someone Malfoy!"

Draco backed away as to not yell right up in her face "the popular consensus actually seems to be for me to kiss you."

Hermione- scoffs "good thing you don't ever do what people wan-(is stopped short by Draco's hand cupping the back of her head pushing her closer to him and colliding his lips with hers.)

"I don't do what people want Hermione nor what they expect and from the look on your face you weren't expecting that." He said with a breathless smile. "I figured that you just needed a little push, since you weren't picking up on my context clues I've been leaving all week."

Hermione "Draco…..You don't want to be in a relationship with me."

"I believe you should clearly know by now that I do."

"No, really Draco I have….morals. Meaning we won't be able to do much more than kiss. It's not faire for you to wait around for me and for me to expect you not to do anything with other girls. I know you're a guy and all and that's what you need to do but at the same time I don't think I could bear it if you cheated on me and that would be the only way you would get some. So it's better if I just stay out of relationships for now." Draco tries to interrupt with a "b-"but Hermione cuts him off and continues her now rant. "I want to wait till I'm married before I give anything away. At the same time I can't expect you to love me and even more unfathomable, love me forever, which is my conditions to be married. Therefore I'm not ready to be married either." Hermione was looking like she was working on an extremely intricate charm in her head and going from staring at the floor to staring at Draco. It was kind of like she was piecing all this reasoning together for the first time whilst she spilled her guts to him. It was like she couldn't stop herself. "I can't expect you to stay with me and want to love me forever. I don't date for a reason." She finished her dissertation on her eccentric beliefs about relationships and love with a nod of her head and a sigh of relief.

Her only problem was that Draco was more than ready to refute any theories she had. "You're really a mess in the head, you know that?" He said with a shake of his head and running his hands over his face; preparing for his confession/explanation to Hermione. "Hermione, here is the thing. I only want you so if kissing is all I can get for now then fine that's better than anything I can get from other girls." He takes each arm in each of his hands and stares her straight in the eye and says "I won't force another kiss on you, but I will keep forcing my presence until you kill me. It's the only way you can rid yourself of me. I'm probably the only person in the world as stubborn as you." He runs on of his hands down her arm and can feel the goose bumps forming. He gave her a lazy smile and steps closer "but when you tell me you're ready for another mind blowing kiss they'll come often and unexpectedly."

With that he planted another fierce kiss on her lips and double timed it up the stairs to his dorms with a huge smirk on his face.

"What the hell Malfoy! What happened to you weren't forcing anything but your presence on me? That seems torture enough", she yelled after him.

He spun around before walking into the threshold of his room, "come now Hermione I know you have to like them at least a little and I swear that that was most likely the last one. "I just needed to see you all flustered again is all." He turned back to go in his room fully expecting her to give him the silent treatment and icy glares for the next few days for his little stunt but he was stopped by her yelling, " I'm glad I amuse you Malfoy." She was sitting in her chair again with her legs strewn over the side and just barely peaking over the top of the book.

He spun around a one last time and tried to make his face say you do _WAY _more than amuse me as he said "Good night, my little Head Case."

Hermione yelled back "You're being really juvenile right now. I think I preferred you silent and argumentative. This cheeky act seems makes you seem like such a school boy. By the way I prefer Miss Granger!"

Draco had plopped on his bed exhilarated and yelled down to her, "I am a school boy if you want to get technical, and I think you like it."

Hermione threw her book across the room and roughly got up off her chair. She was more than frustrated because now she really didn't know what to do. Her "theories" were good in theory and she had just hoped that she would never have to put them to a field test. Now she didn't really know what to do in this situation and what angered her even more was that she had to admit she liked his school boy act. She knew he was doing it to bother her and this week had taught her he really was mature. She had always thought she would want a mature man but Malfoy was actually kind of both. He could be mature and sensible but he could also be a cheeky git. That didn't really matter the point was Hermione had a problem. She didn't know what she was doing with Malfoy but the point was it didn't really matter what she was doing; whatever it was she hated to admit deep down in her heart that didn't always listen to her practical brain, she liked it……


	9. Heart, why wont you listen to my brain?

You Are My Sweetest Downfall

Ch 9: heart why won't you listen to my brain?

**Disclaimer: Do you know what's unfortunate? I'm not JK Rowling therefore own nothing.**

Hermione awoke before the sun even had a thought about rising in order to avoid Malfoy, only to find a note on her door with a cup of tea that read

My little head case,

I know your might be a tiny bit angry with me after what happened last night. I'm sorry, but at the same time not sorry at all. So to make up for it here is a coupon for one Draco free day. I'll stay out of your way for today and take this as an opportunity to get all that aggression out before you see me again. You can think too if you like but please try not to think too hard (I don't know why I even asked because we both know you're going to over think this.) Anyway I knew you would try to avoid me so I'm doing you a favor and beating you to the chase. Please try and go back to sleep, there is no reason for both of us to be in a nasty mood for getting up this early (you must really want to avoid me.) If you can't go back and rest there is a kettle of tea on in the kitchen, your favorite.

-your favorite person (it is okay for you to admit it)

Great, Hermione thought. She had woken up ready to feel the trepidations about the whole thing with Malfoy and now she couldn't even really be angry with him. The note made her laugh and feel completely at ease. She had been ready to feel even more uncomfortable after reading it because the written word seemed so personal to her. Something that people did when they truly had feelings for another person. Hermione was ready for it to be all weird and sentimental but the only sentimental parts was the fact that he had the courtesy to write the note and the consideration he had put into it along with the tea. When did Draco start doing all the right things and knowing her best?

That morning Hermione was quickly met by Blaise outside the great hall. He languidly slung his arm around her shoulder and she stiffened slightly but let him keep it there. "You aren't with Malfoy?" She asked looking up at him with curiosity.

Blaise let out a huge yawn, laughed, and shook his head saying, "No, he sent me down here to wait for you. I'm supposed to keep you occupied and away from Weasley and anybody else who might feed any anger you have towards him."

"Oh…"

"You really would get up that early just to avoid him?"

Hermione just gave a guilty smile.

They kept walking for a bit she eventually thought of a way to get him to release her shoulder from his heavy grasp. "Are you planning on cooking a romantic dinner for your new sweetheart Lavender Brown?"

This gave her no avail though. He only grasped her tighter and closer to him. Like he knew what she was trying to do. "Ginny told me to insure that you wouldn't want to tag along with us." He said leading her into the great hall and taking her to sit and began pilling food onto his plate, offering her two scones.

She accepted one and began to butter it and prepare her tea in her usual way. "Zabini, you're just full of information today."

He kept preparing his food but said "Well unfortunately for those two I'm pretty loose lipped in the morning and I'm not willing to put down 'being a good pawn' as one of my good attributes." He looked pretty much exhausted but before he began to eat he gave her a mischievous grin.

Breakfast and the day dragged on and Draco's courteous gesture was really put to waste because Hermione found herself seeking him out.

When she found herself confronted with dark and austere entrance to the dungeons she came to her senses. "What are you thinking Hermione Jean Granger?!" She verbally reprimanded herself. She stood in front of the door and reminded herself that she never let her emotions take complete control, and she had promised herself that she would never let that happen especially when it came to guys. Was she not the girl who took pride in thinking she didn't have a properly functioning amygdale? Even when all the other teenagers were being ruled by that part of the brain that made them emotional and act like stereotypical teenagers, Hermione always prided herself in being all prefrontal cortex. She was pure logic. Yes, she did let her emotions guide her but the majority of the time she had thought behind it too, she thought of the consequences….and Yes, she was known for to get into heated arguments and have occasional outburst but let's face it the person on the receiving end usually deserved it. She was human after all and she never wanted herself to be considered a robot or heartless, her emotions were important to her…she just liked being in control.

Searching all over the castle hoping to "accidently" but not accidently at all bump into the head boy was definitely not control. That behavior was indicative of silly girls, which she would never let herself be. She never wanted a guy to have that much on an effect on her, because that was how people invited drama into their lives. Helping battle a demented wizard since the time she was ten had been drama enough, thank you. Just as she gave a curt nod before slowly but determinately spinning the opposite directions from the dungeon's entrance she heard the sound of hard soled shoes coming in her directions and a cocky voice that sounded way too much like one boy named, Theo Nott, her determined movements became rushed as she hurried away from her contemplation spot eager to find another.

She knew where she was heading was all too predictable, but she needed the library. She needed a place where she can just sit in a comfy chair and go unnoticed and be able to lose herself in a book or just think some more even. Once seated in a armchair in her favorite corner of the library where everybody looked too preoccupied with what they were doing to notice or engage her she decided on thinking some more about her Malfoy situation. If she had to be honest with herself she liked thinking about him and even the thought of him liking her, even if that thought made her feel terrible at the same time.

She knew that if other people knew what was in her brain they would find her hesitation over Draco completely irrational, but she knew she was right. Obviously he liked her and she would readily admit she liked him now; his presence excited and soothed her at the same time. The problem being that every ending to a so called "romance" with him ended with her feeling foolish for not listening to herself in the first place. She couldn't expect him to love her, she couldn't expect to marry him and have a perfectly happy little family with him where they would grow old together. She just couldn't see that happening for her. All she could see is Draco getting over whatever infatuation (which she still couldn't understand why he had one for her in the first place) and he would grow tired or to resent her because she wouldn't be intimate with him and he would feel that he had wasted his time on her. Then she wouldn't even be able to call him a friend…

In all her twisted logic she couldn't shake off one key factor, she wanted to be around him. Rational Hermione Granger was not sure if she could cut off all ties with him and go back to the way things were. That would was the most logical solution though! What was she to do?

Never to be one without some sort of semblance of a plan, Hermione decided this. She would avoid him, but in a non-obvious manner. She would not give into his ministration and eventually his infatuation with her would wane and he would eventually give up on her. Then they could go to enjoying each other's company in a no pressure situation and she would still get to have him in her life.

"Oh dear lord, you really have been thinking!"

Hermione looked up to see a frazzled Blaise, his head in his hand shaking it as though he committed an epic failure. She had ditched her bodyguard, who was apparently supposed to guard her from herself as well as other people, earlier by coaxing him into taking a nap.

Blaise observed the state of the head girl surveying for how much damage was done in his absence. He had been meant to keep her from over thinking things for Draco's sake.

He had come upon the head girl-mid sigh, curled up in her favorite thinking spot in the library, completely oblivious to the outside world.

"You have gone and done the worst thing you could possibly do", he said letting out a sigh of his own.

"I have done no such thing" she blurted out.

"Oh come on Darling Granger, it doesn't take a detective to see you have completely over analyzed things."

She glared back at him "What do you mean? I could have just been relaxing here in the library", she said flippantly.

"As if the state of your bottom lip and chewed up quill weren't tell tale signs of your over analyzation, but come on… You not over-think things in the library?" Blaise gave her a patronizing quirk of his eyebrows before he went on. "It's your epicenter for over thought. Its place you go to solve all your dilemmas. If there is a particularly nasty potions essay, where would I go to find Hermione?-the library, If Voldamort or some other evil entity is plaguing the wizarding world where would Hermione go to find out how to solve this problem?-the library. When Hermione doesn't know what to do about something where does she go?-THE LIBRARY."

_********EARLIER**************************_

When Draco found Blaise peacefully napping in the slytherin common room he had barely got out "Blaise, you better get your sorry ass to the Li…" before Blaise was out of the common room sprinting in the direction of the library.

_**********fast forward to present***********_

All Hermione could do was keep giving Blaise a steely glare. She couldn't argue with him, he was completely correct in his assumption. Hermione decided she had become way too predictable for her own good. With that thought she let out an exasperated sigh.

After Blaise's spiel all he could do was give a small chuckle at her expense. And though Hermione's brain wanted to keep glaring at him defiantly, she couldn't. Even though she thought his tone had gotten a bit condescending, she just couldn't find it in her to stay mad or teach him a lesson and when he extended his arm to her she took it with a smile on her face. They spent the rest of the day doing absolutely nothing in the greatest way.

On Monday Hermione went back to classes feeling nervous but all–in-all not that bad. Once she took her usual seat in the potions class and felt a heavy almost overwhelming presence that was most definitely not Ron, Harry, or Blaise she realized that her bad feelings hadn't left her alone they had just been following her around, waiting a few paces behind her ready to pounce at the most inopportune moment. That moment was now when she felt _HIS_ presence next to her. Then his cocky, belligerent, delectable voice announced his presence.

Yep, there were the bad feelings she had been anticipating. Those anxious feeling that welled up in her stomach a part of her loved though it made her cringe and want to sprint out of the room. Of course they had chosen to come now when she couldn't do either of those things because both of those actions would show her fear and her weakness for him which she had developed. Not only would it be bad for him to know she had a weakness for him because he would most definitely become more persistent in his advances on her but honestly, did the boy need any more of an ego boost?

So Hermione ignored her dreaded feelings and gave him a look that said "what do you think you're doing?"

When he proceeded to take out his supplies and sort through them with an infuriatingly smarmy look on his face she was forced to vocalize her thoughts, though she knew he knew what she was thinking and was choosing to blatantly ignore it.

"Excuse me, what do you think you're doing?" she said flatly

"Why, I am sitting next to you….as I will be the all of our classes today." When Draco said this he had the most sly self satisfied smile on his face that Hermione was sure that the only one who could rival it was satan himself.

Hermione looked around the room for some kind of aid, Harry, Ginny, Blaise, Ron; she would even take Seamus Finnigan as a potions partner at this point. Her frantic search around the room elicited this response from Draco, "I've already talked to everybody. You're stuck with me. I did expect to give up a small fortune to bribe them to stay away from you but they all whole heartily agreed to give you to me today.

"They wouldn't."

"Oh, they would and did. I believe on the way to breakfast this morning, which you missed." He gave her a disapproving look and tsked before he continued. "They found it a rather humorous idea and I believe even said it would 'do you some good'."

"…..traitors" was all she could muster.

Professor Slughorn came to the front of the class disoriented and cheery as usual. " Now students today sense we have been focusing on medical potions [ everybody looked around confused because they had no recollection of this class ever focusing on just one subject or for the professor to even have a lesson plan. They eventually shrugged and just went with the old bat] we will be making a bruise healing paste. Its purpose is, in fact, to heal bruises….. Let's get started shall we?"

Hermione and Draco began to work together albeit silently, but it was almost a comfortable silence. The silence that Hermione that originally had drawn her to Draco, a silence that made her appreciate being around him. As she began to prepare the pickled murtlap tentacles and Draco began to prepare the cauldron Hermione began to think maybe this day wouldn't be so bad.

Of course she regretted even thinking that because as cruel fate would have it, it was less than a heartbeat later that Draco decided to open his mouth.

"You're not getting away that easy."

"And how in any way shape or form have I been getting off easy?" she said incredulously.

"I'm just not going just going to be the shield that allows you to stay in your head all day."

Hermione knew she sounded and looked like a child when she abruptly stopped chopping and whimpered out "but it worked so well before".

Draco ignored her uncharacteristic behavior and kept bringing the cauldron to a boil. "If by worked you mean allowed you to stay in you're comfortable bubble and me to stand just outside it, than yes, it may have worked well for you."

Draco finally looked up at her and said "Today we're going to try out actually getting to know one another." He dramatically put his hand up and then said "I know, I know, it sounds like a preposterous idea but let's just try it out…you wouldn't want to miss out on a chance to learn something would you?"

There was silence for a moment and Hermione just started at him, knife still in her hand, making Draco a tad nervous but mostly just amused. When she gave a shrug and continued her chopping Draco took it as a very good sign. A sign that she secretly liked him pushing her so he continued.

He moved to stand beside her instead of at his previous position which was across from her to prepare the other ingredients. He gave a playful push to get her attention. "Hello there, names Draco Malfoy. Former unwilling death eater, lover of: all things quiditch, potions, summers in France, and studying pretty head cases."

The only sound was the knife hitting the chopping board as she cut the tentacles.

"You know this whole communicating bit only works if you get out of your head Hermione and tell me what you're thinking….do they not teach you the etiquette of conversation in the muggle world?"

She looked up at him and gave him the best sarcastic and generic face she could give him. "Hi. I'm Hermione Granger and I very much like staying in my head. I respond to things when it pleases me to and I hate long walks on the beach."

Draco gave one of his famous smirks and said "well the first two pieces of information weren't really useful, being that I already know that you prone to being in your own little world and that you are pleasantly stubborn. The last piece of information was a good start though. NOW I know to only take you on short walks on the beach."

"OH shut up and concentrate on this potion; you're going to want to make it well."

He gave her an honestly curious "why?"

She returned his gaze with an ominous one and said "because I also like to be prepared and I have a feeling you're going to need this particular potion by the end of today."

The witty banter kept up through the rest of the day. To Hermione surprise the anxious feeling that her brain labeled bad were actually more like feelings of excitement and a pinch of nervousness. Draco had done most of the talking; being that he liked the sound of his own voice so much but Hermione did actually learn some things. Her belief that they had extremely different characters, dispositions, and ideas of what was acceptable (especially relationship wise) she had also learned that they underlying commonalities. They both loved quiet rainy days, having alone time, and reading, though his love for reading was not quite on the levels as her obsession was he was rather close, or closer than most of her friends…let's just say the boy enjoyed a good book. They also worked extremely well together creating a very concentrated bruise healing paste, she would know because she gladly did a performance test using Draco as the guinea pig.

To Hermione's horror her brain was losing the battle with her heart and her carefully constructed defenses were beginning to crumble. She began to think that if it weren't for the principle she might actually let Draco have what he wanted. Screw feelings and consequences. Her stubbornness and belief system kept her from fully caving though.

Draco was as giddy as a small child on Christmas, though he would never show it for fear of scaring her off and well the overall embarrassment may have played a part as well. Hermione was finally becoming really comfortable around him. She was finally letting down her guard and talking to him. Though Draco honestly wasn't really that much of a talker he liked talking with her even more than he enjoyed silently being with her. He found the thought she had in her head which she was finally vocalizing to him were always either completely, interesting, truthful, or funny. Then there was the actual act of her speaking. Watching those thoughts leave her lips was just as enthralling as the thoughts themselves.

They were walking back to the head dorms after class and Hermione was on the precipice of just giving in and letting him win but the thought of a guy actually winning her over kept her from crossing over to the dark side. The dark side being the side that the majority of the world lived on, the side where emotions overruled actual rational thought when it came to relationships.

Then it happened. Draco was staring at Hermione as she avidly described how the ministry needs to take werewolf's needs more seriously when suddenly a little first year, arms full of books bumped into the tall wall like Draco. Hermione began to get ready to protect the young girl from Draco's wrath being that she was a Gryffindor and therefore probably someone Draco would not act kindly towards. When the first year foolishly giggled Hermione was sure Draco would go in for the kill but when she heard him chuckle in response her jaw mentally dropped to the floor.

The laugh wasn't menacing or nasty…It almost had a light-hearted tone. Hermione shoot her head. She must not have heard it right.

What she heard next made her think that she had for sure been slipped some kind of hallucinogenic during lunch.

"Hey there little Gryffindor, what did I tell you about carrying such large books? You're going to heart yourself you know, and you really shouldn't make a habit of bumping into people. Its considered rude in some counties." He said all these things with a warm smile on his face.

The little girl laughed some more and said "well if you hadn't bought me my own copy, I wouldn't be able to carry it around all the time." The young girl was grinning from ear to ear at this point.

"Only a first year and already such a smart mouth, you are cordial with one seventh year and suddenly you are invincible." He teased her.

"Yeah I guess I'm not so nervous anymore…and you only have yourself to blame." The little girl was now getting mischievous. He gave her a fake scowl for a few seconds but it was broken by her looking at Hermione inquisitively.

Draco quickly corrected himself. "Sorry for my complete lack of manners. Little Gryffindor this is you in 8 years or as I like to call her Hermione. Hermione this is Alanna or as I dubbed her, Little Gryffindor."

The little girl gave a shy smile and wave in Hermione direction. Hermione told her it was nice to make her acquaintance and gave herr kindest smile. Then the little girl gave a quick nod to Draco which he responded with a wink and she ran off.

Hermione did what she did best and put two and two together. The little Gryffindor had Hogwarts; a History in her tiny hands. Draco had bought that extremely expensive book for the girl so that she would quit hogging the one from the library. The particular copy of that held sentimental value for Hermione. How did Draco know that making the book available for check out again would be better than buying Hermione her own copy? That was it. Hermione's heart completely took the reins. She didn't know if it was his charm or the fact that he was so sweet to a child, a Gryffindor no less which seemed like something completely out of character for him but she just lunged herself at him. She lunged over the precipice for now and kissed him with all the passion she could muster in the middle of the hallway.

**A/N: Okay so I know it has been extremely long since I've updated and if anybody was bothered by this I am really sorry. I just completely lost my inspiration to write this story and also was fighting a terrible case of writers block. I just couldn't bring myself to write another chapter that I didn't like so I just chose to leave the story alone. Then I started listening to Regina Spektor's newest album Far and it reminded me of this story. So of course I became inspired to finish writing this chapter at 2 in the morning when I was supposed to be studying for the 2 history exams I have tomorrow. I make really good choices, I know. If there is anyone out there still reading this story I hope you like this chapter and I hope you review because let's face it, I'm curious to know what you think. I am sorry but that is just human nature so yes, I will beg you to review. I do have the last chapter almost written up as well so I will finish this story. Oh and if there are any mistakes then I blame it on my teachers for letting me graduate with such atrocious grammar and also I blame it on the fact that it is almost 4 in the morning.**


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